Christmas Novena
The sisters pray the novena in community from December 16-December 24 in preparation for the birth of the Christ child. We dispose ourselves to receive the coming Lord. With great desire, with joy full of hope, with a heart that is free and capable of love.
Hymn
O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny
From depths of Hell Thy people save
And give them victory o’er the grave
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai’s height,
In ancient times did’st give the Law,
In cloud, and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
First Day
Reading: Isaiah 35: 1-10
The desert and the parched land will exult; the steppe will rejoice and bloom. They will bloom with abundant flowers, and rejoice with joyful song. The glory of Lebanon will be given to them, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; They will see the glory of the LORD, the splendor of our God. Strengthen the hands that are feeble, make firm the knees that are weak, Say to those whose hearts are frightened: Be strong, fear not! Here is your God, he comes with vindication; With divine recompense he comes to save you. Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; Then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the dumb will sing. Streams will burst forth in the desert, and rivers in the steppe. The burning sands will become pools, and the thirsty ground, springs of water; The abode where jackals lurk will be a marsh for the reed and papyrus. A highway will be there, called the holy way; No one unclean may pass over it, nor fools go astray on it. No lion will be there, nor beast of prey go up to be met upon it. It is for those with a journey to make, and on it the redeemed will walk. Those whom the LORD has ransomed will return and enter Zion singing, crowned with everlasting joy; They will meet with joy and gladness, sorrow and mourning will flee.
My soul proclaims the greatness . . .
Let us pray to God the Almighty Father, through the intercession of Mary, the model of those who wait in hope, that through the coming of the Savior, justice, goodness, and peace may flower on the earth. Let us pray together as we say:
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the Church throughout the world, through its constant attitude of poverty and service, may be a witness to all that Jesus is Lord, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the leaders of all nations may be committed above all to the value of the human person, which Christ came to reveal, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the unity of the Christian community will prepare those who do not know the Gospel to accept the Savior, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the sick, the destitute, and the lonely may find in our Christian assistance the nearness of the Lord who comes, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the plight of the poor, the oppressed, and the exploited may be recognized by a more open, sensitive, and just society, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the Spirit of the Fathers may give us the strength to journey toward the Lord with free and ardent hearts, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
Our Father…
O Lord, listen to the prayer of your Church as it awaits a renewed manifestation of your fatherly love. Grant that your Son, coming among us, may find in us humble, obedient faith like that of Mary, his Virgin Mother. For he is God, and lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen
Second Day
Reading: Luke 3: 1-18
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the desert. He went throughout (the) whole region of the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one crying out in the desert: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The winding roads shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth,and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”He said to the crowds who came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce good fruits as evidence of your repentance; and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones.Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” He said to them in reply, “Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise.”Even tax collectors came to be baptized and they said to him, “Teacher, what should we do?”He answered them, “Stop collecting more than what is prescribed.”Soldiers also asked him, “And what is it that we should do?” He told them, “Do not practice extortion, do not falsely accuse anyone, and be satisfied with your wages.”Now the people were filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts whether John might be the Messiah. John answered them all, saying, “I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals. He will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fanis in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” Exhorting them in many other ways, he preached good news to the people.
My soul proclaims the greatness . . .
Let us pray to God the Almighty Father, through the intercession of Mary, the model of those who wait in hope, that through the coming of the Savior, justice, goodness, and peace may flower on the earth. Let us pray together as we say:
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the Church throughout the world, through its constant attitude of poverty and service, may be a witness to all that Jesus is Lord, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the leaders of all nations may be committed above all to the value of the human person, which Christ came to reveal, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the unity of the Christian community will prepare those who do not know the Gospel to accept the Savior, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the sick, the destitute, and the lonely may find in our Christian assistance the nearness of the Lord who comes, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the plight of the poor, the oppressed, and the exploited may be recognized by a more open, sensitive, and just society, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the Spirit of the Fathers may give us the strength to journey toward the Lord with free and ardent hearts, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
Our Father…
O Lord, listen to the prayer of your Church as it awaits a renewed manifestation of your fatherly love. Grant that your Son, coming among us, may find in us humble, obedient faith like that of Mary, his Virgin Mother. For he is God, and lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen
Third Day
Reading: Luke 1: 26-28
In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.”
My soul proclaims the greatness . . .
Let us pray to God the Almighty Father, through the intercession of Mary, the model of those who wait in hope, that through the coming of the Savior, justice, goodness, and peace may flower on the earth. Let us pray together as we say:
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the Church throughout the world, through its constant attitude of poverty and service, may be a witness to all that Jesus is Lord, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the leaders of all nations may be committed above all to the value of the human person, which Christ came to reveal, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the unity of the Christian community will prepare those who do not know the Gospel to accept the Savior, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the sick, the destitute, and the lonely may find in our Christian assistance the nearness of the Lord who comes, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the plight of the poor, the oppressed, and the exploited may be recognized by a more open, sensitive, and just society, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the Spirit of the Fathers may give us the strength to journey toward the Lord with free and ardent hearts, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
Our Father…
O Lord, listen to the prayer of your Church as it awaits a renewed manifestation of your fatherly love. Grant that your Son, coming among us, may find in us humble, obedient faith like that of Mary, his Virgin Mother. For he is God, and lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen
Fourth Day
Reading; Luke 1: 39-56
During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” And Mary said:”My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is from age to age to those who fear him. He has shown might with his arm, dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart. He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly. The hungry he has filled with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped Israel his servant, remembering his mercy, according to his promise to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.
My soul proclaims the greatness . . .
Let us pray to God the Almighty Father, through the intercession of Mary, the model of those who wait in hope, that through the coming of the Savior, justice, goodness, and peace may flower on the earth. Let us pray together as we say:
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the Church throughout the world, through its constant attitude of poverty and service, may be a witness to all that Jesus is Lord, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the leaders of all nations may be committed above all to the value of the human person, which Christ came to reveal, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the unity of the Christian community will prepare those who do not know the Gospel to accept the Savior, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the sick, the destitute, and the lonely may find in our Christian assistance the nearness of the Lord who comes, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the plight of the poor, the oppressed, and the exploited may be recognized by a more open, sensitive, and just society, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the Spirit of the Fathers may give us the strength to journey toward the Lord with free and ardent hearts, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
Our Father…
O Lord, listen to the prayer of your Church as it awaits a renewed manifestation of your fatherly love. Grant that your Son, coming among us, may find in us humble, obedient faith like that of Mary, his Virgin Mother. For he is God, and lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.
Fifth Day
Reading: Matthew 1: 18-24
Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,but before they lived together, she was found with child through the holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means “God is with us.”When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.
My soul proclaims the greatness . . .
Let us pray to God the Almighty Father, through the intercession of Mary, the model of those who wait in hope, that through the coming of the Savior, justice, goodness, and peace may flower on the earth. Let us pray together as we say:
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the Church throughout the world, through its constant attitude of poverty and service, may be a witness to all that Jesus is Lord, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the leaders of all nations may be committed above all to the value of the human person, which Christ came to reveal, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the unity of the Christian community will prepare those who do not know the Gospel to accept the Savior, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the sick, the destitute, and the lonely may find in our Christian assistance the nearness of the Lord who comes, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the plight of the poor, the oppressed, and the exploited may be recognized by a more open, sensitive, and just society, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the Spirit of the Fathers may give us the strength to journey toward the Lord with free and ardent hearts, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
Our Father…
O Lord, listen to the prayer of your Church as it awaits a renewed manifestation of your fatherly love. Grant that your Son, coming among us, may find in us humble, obedient faith like that of Mary, his Virgin Mother. For he is God, and lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.
Sixth Day
Reading: Luke 2: 1-5
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus the whole world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town. And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
My soul proclaims the greatness . . .
Let us pray to God the Almighty Father, through the intercession of Mary, the model of those who wait in hope, that through the coming of the Savior, justice, goodness, and peace may flower on the earth. Let us pray together as we say:
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the Church throughout the world, through its constant attitude of poverty and service, may be a witness to all that Jesus is Lord, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the leaders of all nations may be committed above all to the value of the human person, which Christ came to reveal, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the unity of the Christian community will prepare those who do not know the Gospel to accept the Savior, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the sick, the destitute, and the lonely may find in our Christian assistance the nearness of the Lord who comes, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the plight of the poor, the oppressed, and the exploited may be recognized by a more open, sensitive, and just society, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the Spirit of the Fathers may give us the strength to journey toward the Lord with free and ardent hearts, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
Our Father…
O Lord, listen to the prayer of your Church as it awaits a renewed manifestation of your fatherly love. Grant that your Son, coming among us, may find in us humble, obedient faith like that of Mary, his Virgin Mother. For he is God, and lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.
Seventh Day
Reading: Matthew 2: 1-11
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod,behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet: ’And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.’” Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage.” After their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star,and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
My soul proclaims the greatness . . .
Let us pray to God the Almighty Father, through the intercession of Mary, the model of those who wait in hope, that through the coming of the Savior, justice, goodness, and peace may flower on the earth. Let us pray together as we say:
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the Church throughout the world, through its constant attitude of poverty and service, may be a witness to all that Jesus is Lord, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the leaders of all nations may be committed above all to the value of the human person, which Christ came to reveal, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the unity of the Christian community will prepare those who do not know the Gospel to accept the Savior, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the sick, the destitute, and the lonely may find in our Christian assistance the nearness of the Lord who comes, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the plight of the poor, the oppressed, and the exploited may be recognized by a more open, sensitive, and just society, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the Spirit of the Fathers may give us the strength to journey toward the Lord with free and ardent hearts, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
Our Father…
O Lord, listen to the prayer of your Church as it awaits a renewed manifestation of your fatherly love. Grant that your Son, coming among us, may find in us humble, obedient faith like that of Mary, his Virgin Mother. For he is God, and lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen
Eight Day
Reading: Galatians 4: 4-7
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to ransom those under the law, so that we might receive adoption. As proof that you are children,God sent the spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God. At a time when you did not know God, you became slaves to things that by nature are not gods, but now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and destitute elemental powers? Do you want to be slaves to them all over again? You are observing days, months, seasons, and years.
My soul proclaims the greatness . . .
Let us pray to God the Almighty Father, through the intercession of Mary, the model of those who wait in hope, that through the coming of the Savior, justice, goodness, and peace may flower on the earth. Let us pray together as we say:
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the Church throughout the world, through its constant attitude of poverty and service, may be a witness to all that Jesus is Lord, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the leaders of all nations may be committed above all to the value of the human person, which Christ came to reveal, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the unity of the Christian community will prepare those who do not know the Gospel to accept the Savior, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the sick, the destitute, and the lonely may find in our Christian assistance the nearness of the Lord who comes, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the plight of the poor, the oppressed, and the exploited may be recognized by a more open, sensitive, and just society, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the Spirit of the Fathers may give us the strength to journey toward the Lord with free and ardent hearts, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
Our Father…
O Lord, listen to the prayer of your Church as it awaits a renewed manifestation of your fatherly love. Grant that your Son, coming among us, may find in us humble, obedient faith like that of Mary, his Virgin Mother. For he is God, and lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen
Ninth Day
Reading: Luke 2: 8-20
Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock.The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear. The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: ”Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” When the angels went away from them to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child. All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds. And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them.
My soul proclaims the greatness . . .
Let us pray to God the Almighty Father, through the intercession of Mary, the model of those who wait in hope, that through the coming of the Savior, justice, goodness, and peace may flower on the earth. Let us pray together as we say:
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the Church throughout the world, through its constant attitude of poverty and service, may be a witness to all that Jesus is Lord, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the leaders of all nations may be committed above all to the value of the human person, which Christ came to reveal, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the unity of the Christian community will prepare those who do not know the Gospel to accept the Savior, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the sick, the destitute, and the lonely may find in our Christian assistance the nearness of the Lord who comes, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the plight of the poor, the oppressed, and the exploited may be recognized by a more open, sensitive, and just society, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
That the Spirit of the Fathers may give us the strength to journey toward the Lord with free and ardent hearts, let us pray to the Lord.
We hope in you, Lord; hear our prayer.
Our Father…
O Lord, listen to the prayer of your Church as it awaits a renewed manifestation of your fatherly love. Grant that your Son, coming among us, may find in us humble, obedient faith like that of Mary, his Virgin Mother. For he is God, and lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.
In the birth of Jesus, God comes to us and asks us to receive him, so that he can be born in our lives and transform them, and our world, by the power of his love. The Christmas liturgy also invites us to contemplate Christ’s birth against the backdrop of his paschal mystery. Christmas points beyond itself, to the redemption won for us on the Cross and the glory of the Resurrection. May this Christmas fill you with joy in the knowledge that God has drawn near to us and is with us at every moment of our lives”. (Pope Benedict XVI)
 |
This is Emmanuel, God-with-us, who comes to fill the Earth with grace. He comes into the world in order to transform creation. He becomes a man among men, so that in him and through him every human being can be profoundly renewed. By his birth, he draws us all into the sphere of the divine, granting to those who in faith open themselves to receiving his gift the possibility of sharing in his divine life.
Blessed John Paul II |
 |
